


I Will Follow You

by BadonKaDank



Series: Life's Greatest Lies [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Although it's not paranoia if they're really out to get you, Angst, Annie is cool as ever, Armin Shipping Week prompted this, Armin is a badass, Armin is a ninja and Annie is too, Asexual Annie Leonhart, Asexual Armin Arlert, Blond and Blonde spelling differentiation to show gender, Breaking and Entering, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Feels for all, Flashbacks, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Human Experimentation, Humor, I Blame Tumblr, Lots of climbing stuff, Lots of running and hiding, Lots of stale cracker eating, Lots of things from the canon world are integrated into this, M/M, Memories, Military Divisions are still in place, Mystery, Paranoia, Parkour, Running away/escaping, Slightly established relationship, Survey Corps takes no shit, Tears, Well modern/sci-fi-ish?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-04-28 23:22:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5109305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadonKaDank/pseuds/BadonKaDank
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The 104th military program isn't what everyone was made to believe- nothing is. </p><p>With the teens being experimented on and changed into beings that are not what the laws of nature dictate to be human, Armin and Annie struggle to come to terms with the fact that everything they knew before has been forever changed. </p><p>With the lives of their friends, and themselves, on the line, it's up to the duo to find a way out to warn the Survey Corporations of the Trainee Division’s wrongdoings. But with officers hot on their trail, will it be possible?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dark Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first posted SnK fic (I have a lot of WIPs), woohoo! So, Armin Shipping week is coming up on Tumblr and I felt like writing something for day 2 (Aruani) in advance, but... well I got carried away, because it would appear this is going to be a multi-chapter fic. Although I suppose this in and of itself could be a standalone, it won't be.
> 
> Thanks for clicking on this and I hope you like what you read. :)

Two separate breath clouds coming from dark figures lips as they made their way through the dark city streets was the only indication that they were struggling for air, for though they were tired they did not slow and their footsteps were as light and precise as they’d been hours before. Not that anyone was aware of the pairs’ presence or plight since it was well past midnight and anyone who was out was either high, drunk, or homeless and didn’t bother looking their way.

Armin was quite sure his and Annie’s fingers were frozen together by this point as the cold atmosphere continued to dip lower the later into the morning it got. Even without a watch on his person or in sight the teen was certain it was no later than four in the morning given the moon’s trajectory in the sky, but the knowledge that the sun would likely be rising in another two hours filled the blond with dread instead of the relief most would associate with light and warmth.

“Annie… w-we need to… to stop for the night,” Armin tugged on the girl’s hand in an attempt to slow her down so he would be able to catch his breath. They’d been running for far too long and his lungs burned from the exertion and the cold, and in addition to that problem he couldn’t feel his nose and his teeth were trying to chatter.

Winter had reared it’s ugly head early that year and Armin wished it had held off for a bit longer for their sake. The boy didn’t know if Annie got sick easily or not, but he knew he did, and even when he didn’t come down with the traditional sickness he still sneezed far too loudly and far too often. Armin could feel that problem rising slowly but surely as they went and he knew making such noise while they were out in the open with possible pursuit would be a terrible turn of events, and if Annie didn’t stop to find some kind of shelter or warmth or both then things would be looking bad for them in terms of stealth.

Thankfully the blonde had felt his pull and Annie halted, turning to face him and narrow her eyes in question while she too caught her breath.

“It’s probably gonna be light out soon…” Armin trailed off when he saw the spark of understanding in her eyes and mentally praised her ability to read him so well as the girl dragged him through the nearest alleyway. They were in the less populated part of town where the more run down apartments were located, Armin had noticed the fact earlier, and as Annie led him through the darkness the younger blond caught sight of a fire escape. He understood what the teen was planning before Annie said anything and as Annie pried their slightly purple, frozen hands apart Armin crouched down in preparation for the girl to climb onto his shoulders.

To his confusion, Annie shook her head and crouched in front of him, motioning for him to get on her shoulders. It was no secret that Annie had probably been the strongest woman excluding Mikasa in the 104 program, which was precisely why Armin had wanted her on top; whoever reached the fire escape would need enough upper body strength to pull themselves up.

However Annie seemed to have come to her own decision that was just as logical as his had been. “We both know you’re lighter on your feet and more flexible.”

That last part made Armin’s cheeks burn far more than he would ever let on and he quickly nodded and hopped easily onto Annie’s shoulders before she could see. Once the teen’s thighs were secured on either side of the blonde’s neck Annie straightened her back out and got up, putting Armin five feet into the air. The boy looked down at Annie to check if she was ready and as if sensing this the blonde’s hands came up and grabbed Armin’s hips tightly as she leaned her upper body forward just slightly so the other blond could bring his knees up and plant his feet by the slope of her neck.

Armin tapped the top of the girl’s head to signal he had proper footing and her hands disappeared from his hips to hold his feet and steady the boy as he slowly stood. Even if he was one of the best in the male group in terms of balance without gear, the instability of standing on a person and a person only made Armin a touch nervous. Yes, he trusted Annie wouldn’t let him fall, but he still couldn’t help the slight tremor in his knees when he more or less straightened himself out. Armin was sure Annie was growing impatient with his slow pace but decided she would just have to get over it, because he wasn’t going to take any chances.

He stretched his arms up as he turned his attention to the fire escape and frowned when he saw his suspicions about the escape were correct and the platform was indeed missing its ladder, and the expression only deepened when he realized his fingertips just barely brushed the metal grating. The teen bit his numb lower lip and straightened his back as much as he could, nearly letting out a cry of triumph when he was able to curl his fingers around the freezing edge of the escape where the ladder would have normally been.

Annie, obviously having heard his slight intake of breath, released her hold on him and ducked out from under the blond’s feet. Even knowing he was in no danger of getting hurt Armin still gasped at the sudden lack of stability beneath him and he tightened his hold on the grating. He knew what Annie wanted him to do and Armin released a breath slowly before swaying his body, gaining momentum with each swing.

Armin had figured out pretty quickly what Annie had expected of him and while he was certain his plan would have been faster he hadn’t said anything because he figured Annie was under a lot of stress and could use a show, even if Armin was quite sure it would not be that attractive.

With his entire body rocking back and forth in the air like a metronome needle Armin tried not to think about how much it would hurt if he accidentally let go and instead focused on timing his movements right. It took less than three full swings to do that, and the fourth time around, Armin quickly arched his back and threw his legs up and over while simultaneously releasing his grip on the platform.

For one dizzy second Armin feared he’d miscalculated and would be meeting the hard concrete head first, but then the back of his knees hit the spot his hands had been before and relief flooded the teen’s system even as Armin tightened his stomach and sat up so he could grab the railings on either side of him, bringing the rest of his body onto the fire escape easily enough after.

As Armin got onto his stomach and let his arms dangle down for Annie to grab onto he saw the blonde’s mouth had the smallest upturn to the left corner. So she had actually enjoyed that… good. “Come on, Annie,” the teen urged quietly.

Even if Annie hadn’t heard him it was fine, because the girl was already in the process of climbing onto the nearest dumpster -which thankfully was only placed a few feet from the escape- and once she was up, the blonde wasted no time running across the top. Just before her feet reached the end of the lid, Annie bent her knees and with a strength that seemed impossible for someone so small, vaulted herself into the air to grab hold of Armin’s offered hands.

Once they were both safely atop the structure Armin got to his feet and headed for the stairs. It would be highly unintelligent to go for the first window since almost everybody in any apartment lived on the first floor no matter what part of town you were in, wealthy or poor. Annie trailed behind and Armin was positive she was keeping an eye out for security cameras and/or people who might be looking for them.

After two flights of stairs passed Annie grabbed Armin’s shoulder and pointed to one of the two windows available to them, the left one. Under any and all circumstances Armin trusted Annie’s instinct since it had yet to lead them astray, so the blond was quick to nod his understanding and shed his too thin coat. The teen handed the cloth to the girl and Annie wrapped it around her right fist with expert ease and stepped forward to throw said fist into the glass window, effectively shattering it inward.

If anyone was nearby Armin was certain they’d have heard that since the sound of breaking glass bounced loudly off the walls of the alley buildings, but the upside to holing up in a rough part of a city was that those noises were commonplace and unlikely to draw attention. Still, the teen ushered Annie through the newly created hole, muttering that she should be careful not to get cut, not that she was ever really in danger of getting hurt in the first place.

After Armin followed the smaller blonde inside he drew the curtains closed so the winter draft wouldn’t be as bad in the unheated apartment. As soon as Annie returned his now unwearable coat to him Armin buried his nose into a part of it that wasn’t covered in tiny glass shards and released the pent up sneezes, wincing at the intensity and volume of them. Still, better to get rid of the problem while you could then to let it fester, right?

Once his fit ended the boy turned to Annie and found her searching through the cabinets of the puny kitchen in hopes of finding something edible. Armin might have told her it was useless to even try if he hadn’t noticed the same thing the girl had: The place had been lived in and apparently abandoned in a bit of a hurry. There was a small sofa in the living room in front of a scratched and splintered entertainment center that probably held a TV before another bum came in and stole it, and a pile of blankets in the corner of the same room. That fact led Armin to believe that the previous owner of the place had fled sometime during summer when nobody needed any more warmth and then people had forgotten the place was there. Incidentally that worked out just fine for himself and Annie since they were frozen to the bone.

Armin went for the discarded blankets immediately upon seeing them since the loose long sleeved shirt he was currently wearing really did nothing to insulate heat. A soft slam alerted the blond to Annie’s position in the kitchen a few feet from the spot he’d taken on the couch and while he’d thought the sound had been caused by her frustration at finding nothing to eat it turned out to be nothing more than a result of the cabinet door getting stuck. In actuality Annie had found something for them to eat and the girl came over and settled beside Armin with a box of old, likely stale, crackers. He wasn’t going to complain though, because at that point it had been almost a full twenty-four hours since his last meal and the prospect of getting anything in his system made his stomach growl loudly.

Annie rolled her eyes at the noise while Armin had the decency to look embarrassed and the blonde opened the box as she scooted closer to Armin, grabbing the edge of his blanket and raising an eyebrow expectantly at him. Armin found himself chuckling in spite of their current situation and unwrapped himself from the black and blue throw, raising an arm so Annie could tuck herself into his side before bringing his arm to wrap around her slight shoulders with the warm fabric in tow. Annie was quick to tuck the blanket under her shoe covered feet, and as she pulled out the plastic encasing the food and ripped the open as well Armin tried to ignore the barely noticeable tremors going through her body.

The two sat in silence as they ate and when they were down to half the box Annie made them stop and put it away for later consumption, setting the box at the foot of the couch so she didn’t have to leave their cocoon of heat. The shaking was still present in her and Armin subtly tightened the hand on her shoulder in an offer of comfort, and also letting her know that he was there. This was getting to her, Armin could see that as easily as he could see the stars shining outside the window. It was getting to him too, but not as severely, and maybe that was because he was still okay… still normal.

It had taken long, restless hours after they’d taken Annie into that backroom to convince the girl that she wasn’t a monster -even if she hadn’t stated those fears aloud, it had been abundantly clear to Armin- and even after that she’d refused to tell him exactly what they’d done to her. All Armin knew was she wasn’t the same. Whatever those military men had done to her… it had changed her, and while Annie had decided that change was bad, Armin still wasn’t sure, and he wasn’t willing to come to a conclusion about it until Annie let him see what exactly it was that upset her so much. But that day had yet to come.

Armin still wasn’t one hundred percent sure it had been the right thing to leave Eren and Mikasa and the others behind, but he knew he had to protect Annie from those people, and he had no doubt his friends could take care of themselves until Armin could make it back to them with the Survey Division in tow to save everyone and put an end to the experimentation. He was sure Annie felt the same in regards to Bertolt and Reiner, but even she had left them, and just like Eren and Mikasa were to him, Armin knew they were more than her friends, they were her family. Still, whether or not it was the right call, Armin didn’t know.

As if sensing where his mind had wandered Annie piped up in the darkness of the room. “They’re fine.”

Armin looked down at Annie in surprise then. It wasn’t that he wasn’t used to her talking or being perceptive, it was just that her trying to comfort anyone was a rarity one should never let go to waste. The teen smiled softly and twisted his torso in order to stretch his legs out on the couch without removing them from the blanket. Annie allowed him to do that and the two re-situated themselves until Armin had his back against one arm of the couch and his feet pressed against the other while Annie laid between his thighs and had her elbows propped on his stomach. It was a decidedly comfier position and since the blonde girl didn’t complain, Armin figured she liked it too.

Armin opened his mouth to finally reply to what Annie had said but it seemed the older teen wanted to continue surprising him because just as words formed on his tongue Annie took her elbows away from Armin’s torso and brought her head down to rest on his chest, ear pressed over his heart. Her arms snaked around his midriff and the tiniest of sighs escaped her mouth, making her sound both content and sad. Armin had no doubt that she could be both considering the situation.

But if a comforting Annie was rare, a cuddly, comfort seeking Annie was even rarer- almost unheard of. Granted, the bond he and Annie shared was special, but that didn’t mean even he saw this side of her very often. Armin decided to make the most of it while he could and brought one hand up to run through her loose hair while the other traveled up and down her back soothingly.

Armin knew she was as worried for the others as he was, and even if she’d stated that they were fine, he could tell she was just as unsure about her own words as he was about his decisions. They were both wobbling like newly hatched birds, as scared and confused as they could possibly get, yet they both refused to let the other fall, holding their ground just enough to provide a steady foothold. That was how it had been for a long time, or so it seemed, and Armin had no doubt that was how it would be for years to come.

So even though he wasn’t sure what the morning held for them after sunrise, he still told her what she needed to hear. “We’ll save them in time, Annie. They’ll be okay.”

No, he had no idea if the words he spoke were truth or vain hope, but if there was one thing he had in abundance lately, it was faith in that which wasn’t clear or certain. He had no idea what would happen, to them or any of their friends, but he did know one thing, and that was that they would get through it as they’d been doing for months: Together.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, you made it to the end! Thanks!  
> Heads up, this fic is being written along with at least eight others (one-shots and the like) and therefor will not be my most important one on my update list. Of course I'm hoping to get an update out before the year is over, but my first fic (the FMA one) takes precedence to any of my other works. So, if you have something else to read along with this one, that's good. ;)
> 
> Thank being said, I really do hope you like this and stick with it, since obviously if the plot is the backbone of a story then the readers are the life blood. With that, I think I will end this note. Thanks again for reading! Please do comment and let me know what you thought.


	2. Disquieting Silence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Armin and Annie are complex and difficult characters and that is all I have to say.
> 
> Well that and forgive any typos. I'm posting this at 2:30AM and I finished it five minutes ago.

When Armin finally awoke the sun was high in the sky, letting him know it was around noon. Annie was no longer lying on top of him which made the blond sit up so quickly he heard his back crack. Blue eyes swept around the room and the teen sighed inwardly in relief when he saw his companion sitting on the counter top in the little kitchen. Armin felt a bit ridiculous for being worried so easily just because he lost sight of Annie because he knew she was more than capable of defending herself, and if their pursuers had found them so soon he would have been woken by the sounds of their scuffle if not because somebody was trying to grab him.

A cold breeze blew in through the broken window and Armin shivered, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders before getting to his feet and joining Annie in the kitchen. She was munching on the stale crackers from hours earlier and the male huffed a small laugh when she tilted the box his way and took a few of the morsels. It really was not much, but it was all they had, and whether they liked it or not they both knew eating small portions of gross food was better than the alternative. Just the thought of having to stomach the 104 Program food made Armin shudder even while his stomach growled loudly.

Annie rolled her eyes at that and shook a few more crackers into the blond’s waiting hand. Armin supposed the one good thing about being so thin was that he really didn’t need to eat a lot before he was full- Annie was the same way, so that was rather fortunate- but that still didn’t mean his body was happy with him for the meager attempt at feeding. It made that fact abundantly clear by having Armin become suddenly aware of how dry his throat was after the teen had swallowed what was left of his portion. They hadn’t drank water since the night before and the effects were becoming more noticeable at this point, leaving his tongue feeling heavy and mouth gummy. The fuzzy teeth due to lack of toothbrush at hand, Armin tried to ignore as he turned to Annie.

“We need something to drink. We did a lot of running and if you don’t want us passing out later today from dehydration, we need it soon.” Armin said it matter-of-factly, the way he knew it would be best received, and was not surprised when the blonde female nodded silently and slid off the counter, her combat boot clad feet making next to no noise as she walked around the room looking for any sort of liquid.

However the people who had lived there prior to whatever caused them to vacate seemed to have been intelligent enough to take any and all hydrating things along for the ride. Annie was quick to try the sink, but as Armin suspected before she had even touched the faucet knobs, the water to the apartment had been shut off when nobody payed the bills. That only meant they would need to be hitting the pavement again all the sooner- something Armin did not look forward to, but knew was necessary; they couldn’t stay in one place too long when it was so close to the ones they were trying to stay away from.

Annie was aware of the fact too and while Armin had been willing to stay in the building a bit longer to wind down from the action of the night before, she was not. The blonde strode up to Armin and pulled the blanket from his thin shoulders, folding it quickly and placing it under her arm. Apparently that had been the only thing in the apartment she’d found worthy of taking. Even if he did trust her judgement, the male still found his eyes doing a quick once-over of the place, checking for anything he thought might be useful. It seemed that Annie had been thorough though and the blond found nothing of worth, so he turned to the young woman and nodded.

Annie took the lead as she usually did and opened the door of the place, checking the halls for any people as she went. Upon finding none, the blonde waved for Armin to come out. As he did, the teen whispered to her something he knew would not be a waste of time. “We should probably check the other rooms on our way out.”

A hum from Annie was all Armin received, but it was enough to let him know that she agreed.

* * *

By the time the two reached the front door they had found a backpack, another blanket, a can of soup, and a fistful of crumpled ones they’d found beside a sleeping homeless man. Armin had felt bad about taking his money, but knew that in that moment, he and Annie probably really had needed it more.

The two were extremely cautious when they neared the metal door in the lobby that hung on rusted hinges, half expecting an entire squad of soldiers to flood into the place and drop them then and there. Of course, no such thing happened and as Armin took a turn checking the outside, he found they were completely clear to take off down the street.

Annie handed him the backpack full of their newly acquired things and started down the sidewalk with the male trailing directly behind her. While the young woman scanned the area around them for potential threats, Armin took on the task of mentally sorting through the list of things they absolutely needed. Right under water, was clothing, because what they currently wore was not cutting it. The blond shuddered then as a well timed wind whipped past he and Annie, easily getting to their skin through the thin and ripped clothes they wore and causing goosebumps to rise. Armin fought off a sneeze in order to keep anyone’s attention off of them. While there weren’t many people around, there was still the occasional man or woman that walked passed, most of which appeared homeless, and if there was one thing Armin did not want to give them it was a reason to come bug Annie and him.

About ten minutes into the walk the blond spotted a corner store and tugged on Annie’s sleeve, pointing her in the direction they needed to go. A minute later the two were staring at the evil “Closed” sign posted on the door. “I don’t care,” Armin heard Annie mumble under her breath and the teen jumped when the female picked up one of the many pieces of large gravel that could be found around the town and lobbed it at the small glass window in the door where the sign was resting. The shattering sound bounced off the buildings and made it seem louder than it really was, causing Armin to cringe and look around hastily to make sure nobody else had heard.

Annie was sticking her arm through the broken window and unlocking the door from the inside. Once she got it open they both stepped inside and closed the damaged door so anybody walking past would not immediately notice something wrong. Armin was surprised when no alarm went off to alert the owner of their presence, but didn’t voice such thoughts as he and Annie perused the small selection of items, already knowing who was going for what despite neither of them having discussed it.

Most of the non-edible things were cheap and guaranteed to break within the first twenty uses, but Armin knew there was no room to be picky when you were on the run. The blond was quick to grab a can opener when he spotted it and shoved it into one of the smaller bag pockets. While searching the shelves and racks the teen also came across another backpack. Though it was smaller and likely a lot less durable than the one they had the blond still grabbed it. After all, two backpacks meant they could carry more, and if they lost one, they at least had another. As Armin continued up and down the isles he found plenty more things that he knew for a fact were needed if they were going to survive on the streets: Toothpaste, toothbrushes, a hairbrush and some rubber bands, two pairs of gloves and socks, a bar of soap, two razors, a small makeup mirror, Chapstick, Kleenex, a little sewing kit, scissors, matches, a small box of garbage bags, and what he knew would be important to have later on, a box of tampons.

Given the store’s small layout it didn’t take long to find Annie again and when Armin showed her his load, which had been stored in the heavier, more durable backpack where the blankets were, she showed him hers. Cheese crackers, two boxes of granola bars and regular crackers, a jar of peanut butter, a box of plastic cutlery, bread, a few cans of tuna and soup, gum, cough drops, and, most importantly, water bottles. Armin smiled at her as they shoved their new items into the spare backpack, and when they finished the blond made for the front door, still feeling on edge there and not wanting to get caught. However he stopped when he realized Annie wasn’t following him, and was instead making a beeline for the register. Knowing there would be no money Armin hissed at the older teen, “What are you doing?”

Annie held a finger to her lips in a clear message for him to be silent and Armin frowned in confusion but did as told, crouching down to where he couldn’t be seen if someone looked into the building and taking watch while his companion did her thing.

Some small shuffling noises came from where Annie was for several minutes before they stopped and the blonde came over to him with a pleased expression on her face. Armin opened his mouth to ask why she looked like that, but stopped short when he realized the female had a gun in her right hand and a knife in the other. Armin tilted his head in obvious confusion then, because he was pretty sure only bars were allowed guns behind their registers. Annie obviously knew what he was wondering for she shook her head. “The rundown areas don’t care who has a weapon and who doesn’t. It’s probably the only thing keeping homeless people out.”

Armin went to say how that made sense but was once again halted by Annie, who held the gun out to him calmly. The blond took it without thinking, and after making sure the safety was on he shoved it into the front of his waistband so it was easily accessible but not too noticeable. Annie was better at fighting with knives, always had been, so it made sense that the pocket knife would make her feel more secure than the gun, which was always a weapon Armin had favored more because if the time ever came where he had to hurt or kill someone, he didn’t want to feel it.

The two were quick to exit the store after that, Armin still a bit on edge due to the fact that he couldn’t quite believe no alarms had gone off and nobody had showed up to order he and Annie to get lost. After they got another couple blocks down the street though, the blond allowed himself to relax a little and began looking around for any sort of clothing departments. Of course he doubted they would find any given that they were in a crummy part of town.

Fifteen minutes later the two were halted once more, Annie pointing towards what looked like a bar or strip club and Armin giving her a confused look. “What’s at The Wall?”

The blonde shrugged her shoulders, looked around to no doubt make sure no people were around, and spoke quietly. “It’s still pretty early. Some of the staff might still be around, which means their jackets will be too.”

Armin tried not to gape at the girl as he shook his head sharply. “We can’t steal!”

Annie tossed a glance at him over her shoulder then and just gave the boy her blank, unimpressed stare until he sighed loudly. “I know we just stole from the store but… those things were unnowned. Stealing things that somebody bought themselves just seems wrong.”

Annie huffed under her breath and turned to face him, folding her arms loosely over her chest. “Do you know what’s really wrong? Having to steal to survive in the first place.”

That gave Armin pause. The blond studied Annie carefully then- the way she stood a little too straight, her feet in a position she could easily begin sprinting from if need be, her eyes narrowed just slightly and constantly moving around to study their surroundings. It was so unlike her usual calm. To make matters worse, she was also right; they shouldn’t have to be stealing and running to stay alive, but that was the hand they’d been dealt. Being hunted down was not something they wanted, but it was what was happening, and when put into perspective like that, Armin had to concede. “Alright, fair enough.”

That satisfied Annie and the blonde immediately headed to the building that was placed inconspicuously between an antique shop and what appeared to be an adult store, the latter of which Armin figured was appropriately placed if The Wall was indeed the kind of establishment he thought it was.

The door to the establishment was actually unlocked, a fact that surprised both teens but did not make them hesitate to step into the building. It took a moment for Armin’s eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the club, and once they had he chuckled lightly under his breath, not at all astonished to find he’d been correct when he thought it was a strip joint. A stage with poles and small catwalks attached to it sat at the very back of the room, overlooking a few tables and a bar closer to the front. The floors were thankfully clean of any filth that may have built up from whatever show had likely been put on the night before, and to Armin and Annie’s relief, whatever staff lingering in the building were not in the main area. Granted, that meant their clothes weren’t either, but that was to be expected and was not any sort of setback.

“Psst.”

Armin twisted around to find Annie had made her way to the backstage door and brought her knife into view as she waited for her counterpart to come over and open said door. Armin was quick to do so, stepping back when the wood swung on its squeaky hinges and Annie brought her blade up as she stepped into the doorway. If anyone had been there Armin was sure a scream would have sounded so when no noise came from the room and Annie stepped in without a word he knew it was clear.

It was strange that the back was void of people considering backstage was likely the only other place employees would need to go during the day when not up front, but the blond tried not to think too much on that thought, instead choosing to simply accept the break they’d caught and run with it.

* * *

They eventually did find clothes suitable enough for the chilly weather outside -which shocked them since they hadn’t expected anyone’s street clothes to be out. And even if said garments were not what was preferred by either party, with both teens wearing leggings underneath their lightly torn pants and jackets that altogether were not terrible even if they did not block out as much cold as expected. Annie had also snagged a bra and even though Armin hadn’t been paying attention he was ninety-nine percent sure there had been some underwear to match- which he found pretty smart for her to do considering they didn’t know how long it would take to get to a proper city with decent clothing stores.

The blond tugged at the zipper on his light gray outwear as he thought about that and in the back of his mind thanked his mother for passing on the most in the genetic area of life; he didn’t think the clothing they’d stolen would have fit anyone with broader shoulders or a bigger waist.

Armin was still wondering why they hadn’t run into anyone since that sleeping homeless guy in the apartment building and the four men and women scattered around the streets by that corner store, and also trying to ignore the bad feeling that crept up his neck each time he did, but both were becoming increasingly difficult to brush off. Especially when they turned down another alley to find a small rundown neighborhood on the other side that looked completely uninhabited.

Still the blond said nothing as Annie walked in front, her footsteps near silent as she navigated the foreign streets with an eerie kind of ease. Armin knew for a fact this was not a place the blonde was familiar with, so the fact that she was acting as though it was left the male with an uneasy feeling in his gut.

Once they were deep enough into the neighborhood that Armin no longer feared someone popping out with a gun demanding they come quickly and quietly, the blond voiced his concerns. “It’s too quiet…”

Annie halted in the middle of the street and gave the surroundings a quick scan once more, possibly searching for some form of life, before answering. “I know.”

“We probably shouldn’t stay much longer,” Armin found himself whispering despite the fact that there was no one around to hear; it seemed a perfectly logical thing to do when he considered they were likely still being hunted and voices bounced off buildings rather spectacularly, so keeping a low tone was smarter.

“I know,” Annie intoned, her head continuing to turn in search of something, and once she found it the blonde grabbed Armin’s sleeve and began dragging him in the direction of a small home that seemed to be on its last leg of life. “First we need to eat and drink.”

Armin knew she was right which was why he said not a word in protest in spite of his desires to continue moving. He trusted Annie’s judgement almost more than he trusted Eren and Mikasa and if she deemed it safe to stop long enough to have lunch then Armin was going to believe she was correct. Though that still didn’t stop the teen from being extremely on edge when they entered the small home, his hand wandering to the front of his pants were he was able to feel the butt of his gun and making him feel a little safer. It was important that they stay out of sight when not on the go so it was most unfortunate that their options of safe house were as bad as they were.

Though Armin knew he really shouldn’t be complaining because it was the lifestyle he was fairly used to.

As soon as they were sure the coast was clear Annie slipped her pack off and onto the moth eaten couch in the middle of the dusty, moldy living room. Armin immediately unzipped it and began digging through to find what could be an acceptable lunch for two people who had shared a box of crackers for breakfast hours ago. Annie walked off to the kitchen to check if there was anything edible or overall useful in there while he did so.

Armin decided it would be best to go with protein bars and water for the time being and pulled said things out, opening his mouth to call Annie the same time he heard a loud thump come from the kitchen area.

The blond gasped, dropped what he was holding, and was in the same room as the blonde within seconds. Annie lay sprawled on the sticky floor motionless but there was not a soul in sight, leaving Armin to draw the conclusion that she’d hurt herself -something highly unlikely- or she’d fainted -also unlikely but slightly more believable.

Armin knelt beside the female and carefully turned her from her side onto her back, lifting her head onto his lap as he did. “Annie?” The teen brushed Annie’s bangs out of her face to check for any bruising that would indicate she hit her head, and upon finding none, bit his lip in worry.

“Annie, come on, wake up.” Armin tried shaking the blonde but all that served to do was make her head loll from side to side on his knees. “Not now, Doll, come on, you have to get up. We have to hurry”

“...”

“Annie.”

“...”

“Annie!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's been awhile... But hey, I never promised a set schedule so, eh.  
> No, but seriously, sorry it's been so long. This chapter was a bit difficult because while it's rather slow paced and maybe a bit boring, there are some things that will be important later on.  
> Plus I've been fleshing out plots for future fics, working, doing school, preparing for court, trying to get an update out for TBAS, and just procrastinating. Heh.
> 
> Anyway, I hoped you liked it even if it was boring. Drop a comment and let me know your thoughts on the story so far.


End file.
